On a night that began with the Red Wings running the table against the home town heroes and racing out to a gentlemanly 4 nothing lead, the Copper and Blue managed to pull themselves right back to a tie game before a goal that was clearly a high stick was allowed with a little over a minute left and the Oilers were sent off the ice with a 5-4 loss.

This was actually one of the more entertaining Oilers games we have had the luxury of watching in some time and if the kids keep this up for the rest of the year we will be able to safely take our spot as unreasonable optimist for the entire offseason.

THREE STARS ACCORDING TO LORD WANYE VON GRETZ IV

1. Jeff Deslauriers

We suppose that a pair of goals from Gilbert might make a case for the long hairian one to be named first star but Deslauriers made several 5 alarm saves when the game seemed out of reach. 40 saves against the Wings only to lose on that goal? Come on.

2. Tom Gilbert

Be still the beating hearts of tween Oilers fans from coast to coast! Tom Gilbert scored twice and was shown dripping with sweat wearing nothing but an Under Armour shirt on National Television! If that doesn't get you second star, nothing will.

3. Goal judges in Toronto

We don't know how a call eminating from the Penalty Box in Detroit, bound for NHL Referee Central Command in Toronto, was intercepted by Mike Babcock - but this is clearly what must have happened. In an era with freeze frame HD technology following the puck for 60 minutes, there is simply no excuse for a blown call of this magnitude.

Call us a pessimist but we don't think the Oilers are going to be able to make the playoffs this year as a result of that goal being allowed.

Still, good game though. Right?

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Last place is a lock and an 18 year old boy is ALL OURS.

Hat tip to Gerald Ford for knocking a fellow Commander in Chief in such spectacular fashion.

If you're a 6' 4" goalie do you jump ever to make a save? Ever? JDD makes unbelievable saves all the time, but is it because he's in great position or is it he's a floppy circus act? He's fun to watch, but I wouldn't want him to be a starter goalie.

The Oilers got jobbed!!! Cleary a high stick. Quinn should have pulled a Jim Playfair and went bonkers.

Haha that would have been quite the show! Thankfully it's just another nothing game though, because that was clearly a blown call by the league and there have been many! Love JD's passion as of late, he really plays like he gives a damn which is more than can be said for a good chunk of guys on that team.

I must read spend too much time talking hockey, because sure enough I dreamt that Boston won the lottery, selected Taylor Hall, Oilers picked Seguin, and I was walking the draft floor while ingesting taco salad

Deslaurier will have what it takes to be an NHL starting goalie I think. He's been playing really well and I think his trial by fire this season has actually been good for him.

~What a top line last night!~ I hope Penner is okay. I still think Cogliano is underrated. We may not need him with what we have in the system but it would be so nice. He's going to make a name for himself.

Sequin in the bag and a 48% chance at Hall . Quinn seems very high on Hall, and he has played on the bigger stages and the toughest of competition . Now - if Bruins get lucky and have second pick, and they want Seguin and we want Hall (if we get first pick ), why not see if they might not throw in their own first round pick (probably 15th) to guarantee we will not take Seguin ? If we want Sequin, then why not try it with Hall ? Would depend on how badly Bruins might want one over the other ? It'll be interesting to see whom and what the Oilers might get offered for their first round pick over and up to draft day ! Maybe Burke will offer Phaneuf and a couple of first round picks in the future ?

Sequin in the bag and a 48% chance at Hall . Quinn seems very high on Hall, and he has played on the bigger stages and the toughest of competition . Now - if Bruins get lucky and have second pick, and they want Seguin and we want Hall (if we get first pick ), why not see if they might not throw in their own first round pick (probably 15th) to guarantee we will not take Seguin ? If we want Sequin, then why not try it with Hall ? Would depend on how badly Bruins might want one over the other ? It'll be interesting to see whom and what the Oilers might get offered for their first round pick over and up to draft day ! Maybe Burke will offer Phaneuf and a couple of first round picks in the future ?

Burke doesnt have a first round pick this year or next, and Phaneuf i dont think will get traded burke loves him.. plus at 6 million a season we want to rebuid so it would make sense dishing this kinda cash and hurting us on the cap.. thats why we got rid of visnovsky

A Colorado loss tonite and a Flames win could bring back memories of Oilers unlikely drive to Cup finals . If Flames lose maybe they'll offer up Iginla for some of our draft choices over next couple of seasons ?

No one can take the Oilers out of the top two picks. No 2% "chance"* for the 6th place team to move up to 2nd and push the Oilers into 3rd. Oilers are taking one of the 2 best prospects in the world. Good game, Great Loss.

*Read Bettman rigging the Lottery like he did with Pittsburgh and Chicago.

I generally believe that; a) there isn't room on a contending roster for both Gagner and Cogliano... therfore the organization needs to choose between the two moving forward; and b) Gagner > Cogliano...

That said, the recent play of Cogliano gives me pause. Just how much better than Cogliano is Gagner as a second line center? What if some combination of assets including Gagner or Hemsky can be used to grab Boston's Toronto pick? Which top six will be better in three years:

Hall-Seguin-Eberle-Penner-Cogliano-MPS

Or: ONE of Sequin/Hall-Eberle-Gagner-Hemsky-Penner-MPS?

Is Cogliano a top six player or not? If Cogliano is, and Gagner can be used to grab a top three pick, or another player of quality... should Tambellini consider it? Or is Gagner WAAAY better?

Sequin in the bag and a 48% chance at Hall . Quinn seems very high on Hall, and he has played on the bigger stages and the toughest of competition . Now - if Bruins get lucky and have second pick, and they want Seguin and we want Hall (if we get first pick ), why not see if they might not throw in their own first round pick (probably 15th) to guarantee we will not take Seguin ? If we want Sequin, then why not try it with Hall ? Would depend on how badly Bruins might want one over the other ? It'll be interesting to see whom and what the Oilers might get offered for their first round pick over and up to draft day ! Maybe Burke will offer Phaneuf and a couple of first round picks in the future ?

I think Boston would want Hall. Even though it's short term thinking, they've got Savard, Bergeron and Krejci in the middle already. And now we've seen what Savard looks like with and without a sniper on his line.

Edmonton needs a Centre more than a winger, although I've heard Hall plays both.

All that said, I've heard over and over, no matter what you're team needs are, when picking in the top 10, you take the best player available.

IMO, that player is Hall. Don't let the fact that I've never seen Seguin play make you think my opinion doesn't have merit.

I also dont think there's room for them both as Centers. One of them should probably move to the wing. You know I've been high on Cogliano for a long time, but I think he's probably best suited on the Wing. Who knows though.

I generally believe that; a) there isn't room on a contending roster for both Gagner and Cogliano... therfore the organization needs to choose between the two moving forward; and b) Gagner > Cogliano...

That said, the recent play of Cogliano gives me pause. Just how much better than Cogliano is Gagner as a second line center? What if some combination of assets including Gagner or Hemsky can be used to grab Boston's Toronto pick? Which top six will be better in three years:

Hall-Seguin-Eberle-Penner-Cogliano-MPS

Or: ONE of Sequin/Hall-Eberle-Gagner-Hemsky-Penner-MPS?

Is Cogliano a top six player or not? If Cogliano is, and Gagner can be used to grab a top three pick, or another player of quality... should Tambellini consider it? Or is Gagner WAAAY better?

I'd rather move Gagner for a young semi proven all-around dman. Our under 25 D is far weaker then our under 25 forards. Bogosian for example. Or Hemsky for a young proven all around Dman, Brent Burns for example.

Start up the conspiracy machine, is there a freezer around the area these ping pong balls or envelops for the draft position are going to be kept?

http://www.slate.com/id/2083484/

After all, it has been only 14 years since a Canadian team had the first overall pick. *edit - addition* It's been a long time since a Canadian team has finished bad enough to even get a shot at the second pick. Yay Canada, I'm getting tired of seeing these talented junior players end up in non hockey markets.

There's nothing Bettman can do to take away our top two spot, short of convincing Tambellini to trade the pick for Lecavalier (Oh God I hope not). And considering there is no universal consensus as to which kid is better, this is a pretty good year even if the Oil pick 2nd.

It would an almost fairy tale end to a terrible hockey season if that 48% chance gave us the number 1 pick. Not that I would be disappointed in getting the second pick, but if you are going to be the worst, you might as well win at something.

The thing is, even if we have the pick locked up, the player we take isn't a lock until we actually call the name from the podium. Not that I don't trust Tambi or anything; it's just that I don't trust Tambi.

"With the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Edmonton Oilers are proud to select, from the Edmonton Oil Kings, defenseman Mark Pysyk."

Right when I was about to reply that no one could possibly be that inept, I just realized that we're talking about a man that Managed his team to the last place in the NHL. And not just last placed, but 14 points out of 29th. He could do anything at the Podium and it shouldnt surprise anyone.

only 2 more weeks to find out it it's 1 or 2.
I bet the professional ping pong league is sad that more excitement is drawn from using ping pong balls in the NHL draft lottery than watching the balls actually used in their sport

Hall has been a proven gamer in the past (Memorial Cup and WJC MVP), but has Seguin had an oppertunity to prove he can do the same? I think one of the biggest knocks against Seguin is based on something out of his control.

Look at past WJC award winners. A lot of huge stars are on there, but a lot are duds as well.

I also dont think there's room for them both as Centers. One of them should probably move to the wing. You know I've been high on Cogliano for a long time, but I think he's probably best suited on the Wing. Who knows though.

Cogliano has come alive offensively since being moved back to center... (His work last night to set up Gilbert twice was positively brilliant!)

I think his points have more to do with the quality of linemates, but I'm not 100% sold that Gagner needs to play center either. Gagner has done fairly well when moved to the wing. All I've seen this year has made me sure of 1 thing: anyone who plays with Moreau or Horcoff is not going to be puting up points. Until Cogliano gets top 6 linemates in both the wing and centre position I cant be sure of anything.